of mankind have already seen enough of its dreadful and desolating effects, to deter them from encouraging such a spirit. It is on this ground I am careful to avoid all commands which are strictly military. Even when the monitor has occasion to order the class to go to the right or the left, it is done by a sign, in order to avoid the command, To the right,'' Go on,' instead of March,'-and, 'Stop,' in lieu of Halt.' The classes are permitted occasionally to measure their steps, when going round the school in close order, to prevent, what else would often occur from their numbers, treading on each other's heels, or pushing each other down. In this case, measuring their steps commands their attention to one object, and prevents their being unruly or disorderly. It is not required that the measure should be exact, or be a regular step; but, that each scholar shall attempt to walk at a regular distance from the one who precedes him. A number of commands, trifling in appearance, but conducive to good order, are given by the monitors. When a new scholar is first admitted, he is pleased with the uniformity, novelty, and simplicity of the motions made by the class he is in. Under the influence of this pleasure he readily obeys, the same as the other boys do. None of these commands are, in themselves, a hardship; and are well supported by the force of example. I never knew a boy object to obey them; yet, I have been sure, some boys, if they had been individually told to do

such

such a thing by the monitor, would have said, 'You are only a boy like myself; do you think I shall be such a fool as to be commanded by you?' but, in the above instance, such a boy gets into habits of obedience before he is aware what he has been allured into; and then, when the monitor gives him a command of an unpleasant nature to execute, he does it from the power of example, and the force of habit-and, however reluctant he may feel, that reluctance does not show itself.

The commands that a monitor usually gives to his class, are of a simple nature: as, to go in or out of their seats: 'In'-'Out.' The whole class do this at one motion-they learn to front, or go to the right or left, either single ordouble. They 'showslates,' at the word of command; take them up, or lay them gently down on the desk, in the same manner Instead of hanging the slates to nails on the wall, every boy has a slate numbered according to his number in the class, and fastened to a nail on the desk at which he sits. By this means all going in and out for slates is avoided. But, if slates are suspended to nails on the walls, the class must go from their seats to fetch them; and the same to replace them, when they have done work. When boys write in a book, which is only done by part of the scholars four times in the week, merely to accustom them to the use of the pen, they → sling their slates; that is, let them hang suspended from the nails on the desks, by the slate-strings.

When

When slates are suspended in this manner, if the strings are good, there is little danger of their being thrown down or broken; so that, when boys are writing, there are very few who have any occasion to get off their seats: and, if they should have, there is ample passage-room between the desks for them to pass. If the slates are accidentally stricken against by a boy passing, they hang loose, and of course give way when pressed against; which greatly preserves them.

6

Another command is, to sling hats,' which is always done on coming into school; and, unsling hats,' which is always done on leaving it. This alludes to a very convenient arrangement, which prevents all the loss of hats, mistakes, and confusion in finding them, which would naturally occur among so large a number of boys. It saves all shelves, nails, or places where they are usually put in schools. It prevents them all going to put hats on the nails or shelves, and all going to get them thence, before they leave school. These are great advantages—as, with eight hundred boys in school, they save sixteen hundred motions, unavoidable on the usual plan, both morning or afternoon-motions that, before this arrangement was made, produced much inconvenience in the school; and complaints were made, almost daily, of boys losing their hats, which have ceased since this arrangement. All these advantages are gained, and inconveniences are avoided,

by

by every boy slinging his hat across his shoulders, as a soldier would sling his knapsack: by which means he carries it always about him, and cannot lose it without immediately missing it.

It is usual in most schools to have a muster or roll-call, at a particular hour, varied at the discretion of the masters. The list of the scholars contains the name of every boy that attends it. In calling over the list every name is repeated, although three-fourths or more of the boys, whose names are called over, are present. It was needful in my institution to make a strict enquiry after absentees; but, the method above described was so tiresome and noisy, that I devised another more eligible. As the number of absentees bear but a small proportion to the numbers that attend, I conceived the design of taking an account of the lesser number, without the repetition of names. To effect this, the classes are numbered--each beginning at number 1, and ending its series of numbers at 30, 70, 130, or any other number of which the class may consist. The list of each class is kept by the monitor of it, nearly in this shape.

Number 1, Jones.

2, Thomas.

3, Brown.

4, Williams.

5, Peach.

6, Hall

These

These few names will show the manner in which the list of the whole class, perhaps a hundred and twenty, is kept. Answering to this is another series of numbers, printed on the school wall, thus,

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

The monitor calls his boys to muster-the class go out of the seats in due order-go round the school-room; and, in going, each boy stops, and ranges himself against the wall, under that number which belongs to his name in the class-list. By this means the absentees are pointed out at once-every boy who is absent will leave a number vacant. The monitor of the class then passes silently round the school-room, and writes on the slate the numbers which are vacant. Take a specimen of six boys mustered according to the foregoing list,

The boys, Jones, Thomas, and Peach, are supposed to be present-they are ranged under their numbers. The boys, Brown, Williams, and Hall, are absent their numbers 3, 4, 6, are vacant. In taking the account of absentees, the monitor writes the numbers 3, 4, 6, on his slate; and the same as to any numbers vacant by absentees, in his whole class. He then makes a list of absentees, by re

ferring